NHSGGC staff pull together as weather bites

Thursday, March 1, 2018

Staff at Scotland's largest health board have been sharing their amazing stories as they pull together to put patients first.

As the 'beast from the east' brought blizzard conditions to Scotland, there were stories of staff working on past their shift times, walking miles to work, offering lifts to stranded colleagues and even sleepovers at work to make sure they were there for our patients the next day.

Staff have been posting on the very popular Queen Elizabeth staff Facebook page to offer lifts to and from work and shared stories of camaraderie.

Helen Watson a staff nurse on ward 5D shared a light-hearted message of her and fellow staff nurses Louise and Imelda with the message #24 hour party people, #I survived the M8 and #Ain't no snow flake stopping me.

She said: "I was working the night shift on Tuesday and drove home to West Lothian but left home again at 3.30pm to come in for the night shift.

"Not everyone has made it in but everyone is doing their best, walking, sharing lifts and even sleeping over to make sure they are here for patients in the morning.

"You don't go into the NHS to get any reward; it's because you have a passion. We need to put patients first.

"I have never been prouder to work for the NHS; everyone has rallied round and its great to be part of this wonderful NHS!"

We also heard about:

*Facilities staff going the extra mile to keep staff and patients fed and wards clean*Members of the public stopping in 4x4s to offer staff lifts into our hospitals*Companies offering the use of their 4x4 vehicles and drivers to ensure clinical staff made it to their shift on time*Staff being given scrubs for pyjamas and blankets to sleep over in comfort*Nurses who were unable to travel to Glasgow arriving for shift at Crosshouse Hospital in Ayrshire.

NHSGGC Director of Human Resources, Anne MacPherson said: "We are greatly impressed and appreciative of the efforts made by our staff to care for patients in the most challenging of circumstances. This has happened all over the Board area ,in our hospitals and community settings.

"All our clinical and non clinical teams have been working behind-the-scenes to keep our services running.”

All our staff are essential and where staff can't get to their usual place of work we are asking them to report to their nearest NHSGGC site to assist colleagues where they can."

Patients have also commented on the commitment of staff.

Helen Watson added: " It' s been so touching. Patients who are very ill have been asking us if we are all right and thanking us for coming in to care for them. That makes it all worthwhile."